Months after the attack on Manhattan
by LashAttack9
Summary: Adeen O'Sullivan aka Lasher is the girl you don't want to mess with and is a mutant with many abilities. Her past begins to start creeping back into her life after her father escapes from S.H.I.E.L.D.'s prison. Will her feelings for boyfriend, Clint Barton change or will her long time best friend Bruce Banner be the only thing to keep her from going over the edge? Please review :)
1. Prologue

"Adeen, don't do this. Put the gun down." Clint calmly tried to persuade her.  
Adeen pointed the gun straight at him with unstable hands. Anger and pain were written on her face. Tears streamed down her face as she looked Clint in the eyes. Her long brown hair was up in its usual high ponytail with her Avenger's suit on. Barton didn't make a move.

"You...all lied to me...Including you! You were only using me...using my weaknesses in your little games...How could you lie to me? How could you...use my emotions... knowing how much I cared about you..."

"I never lied to you...the agency has never lied to you. Can't you see? He's trying to get inside your head. Don't let him in, Adeen."

Adeen shook her head slowly with her eyes clenched shut, gun still pointed at Barton. The entire place was engulfed in flame. She looked around at the place, knowing she did all this. She then looked at Clint with tortured eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Clint..." she apologetically told him, putting the gun up to her right temple.

"No!" Clint yelled and started running towards Adeen.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Three days earlier…

Sirens went off loudly in the Avengers mansion. All the Avengers met up in the board room at 11pm. Nick Fury stood there in his usual sullen way. Bruce, Tony, Clint, Thor, and Steve were all there, looking a little annoyed by the abrupt awakening.

"What's this all about, Fury?" Adeen furiously asked, walking in with Natasha.

"You do realize you just blew our entire undercover mission?" Natasha asked, annoyance in her voice.

They were both wearing low cut black dresses that ended halfway down their thighs. Some of the guy's moods changed to more awake now that the two female Avengers were present now. Natasha and Adeen just rolled their eyes at them.

"Great, the Lasher is annoyed…this should be a pleasant meeting…" Tony mumbled under his breath.

"Watch it, Stark…not in the mood…" Adeen warned him in a threatening tone, able to hear what he said from across the room.

"Break it up you two. This is an emergency meeting." Nick glared at both of them with his one eye.

"What happened?" Bruce calmly asked.

"Destructor has escaped prison." Nick explained.

Everyone in the room went silent, shock was written on most of their faces but anger raged in Adeen's.

"How did that bastard get out of that damn prison? I can't believe your people let this happen!" Adeen started storming towards Fury.

Bruce, Clint, Steve, Tony, and Thor quickly took action, holding her back. The guys started moving backwards instead due to Adeen's super strength. They finally managed to get her to the door.

"You told me he wouldn't escape! This is all your fault! If he kills, I'm blaming you, Nick!"

The five male Avengers finally got her out and shut the door behind them. Black Widow just stared at the door.

"Well, that went better than I thought it would." Nick casually stated.

Outside in the hall, Thor had Adeen pinned to the wall so she wouldn't hurt anyone or herself. She tried escaping his grasp but then started to calm down. All the others were out of breath from pushing Adeen out of the room. It was much harder than they thought it would have been. Thor slowly let go of her. Adeen slowly slid down the wall to a sitting position on the floor. She ran her hand through her hair, trying to calm down.

"Calm your mind." Thor calmly told her.

"what is with this certain criminal that's got you on edge?" Steve asked, folding his arms across his chest.

"It's her fa-" Clint started explaining.

"Don't you dare finish that sentence…he is nothing to me…"

"Destructor is her father, and she's the one who locked him up." Bruce explained calmly.

"I could have finished him off, but ya'll had to stop me." Adeen bitterly told them, getting up off the floor, walking down the corridor.

"Where are you going?" Tony asked.

"I'm going to bed. This week has already been a living Hell!"

She slammed her door shut with force, causing the entire house to shake.

"I'll talk to her tomorrow…" Bruce tiredly announced, he then went back into the board room. They all followed from behind. Clint was the only one who stayed behind. He walked the hall and stopped in front of Adeen's door. He hesitated a moment then knocked on her door.

"Adeen…open the door please. Can we talk about this?"

"There's nothing to discuss." Adeen's voice angrily answered on the other side of the wall.

"Oh, that's real mature." He sarcastically stated.

The door abruptly opened then with an infuriated Adeen glaring right at him. He stood there looking right back at her.

"Oh, don't you dare get me started with my maturity level…I had to grow up faster than most of you…I had to look after my mother and my sister, while my father was out killing innocent lives while my brother started a new life. I lost everyone I cared about at the age of thirteen. I trained for hours at a time to avenge them and that monster killed them! And-"

Before she could say anything else, he kissed her, pulling her closer to him. He then pulled away slowly keeping his face close to Adeen's, looking into her dark blue eyes. Adeen looked annoyed at first, but then smiled, chuckling silently to herself. Clint smiled down at her.

"It's been awhile since you kissed me like that." She slyly said, in her southern drawl.

"I've been busy lately. Am I forgiven for being a workaholic?"

"Hm…yes, you are forgiven."

They kissed one last time. What they didn't know was that Bruce was standing outside the board room, having gotten out of the meeting early. He looked over to see the two embraced together. Pain quickly took over his facial expression. He saw Hawkeye continue down the corridor. Bruce silently went down the opposite way.

Before Adeen closed her door, she sensed someone in the corridor. She poked her head out to see Bruce slowly walking the opposite direction with his hands in his pockets and head tucked down low. She smiled a little and walked out of her room.

"Bruce?" She asked, becoming concerned about his behavior.

Bruce didn't hear her and walked into his room, closing the door behind him. Adeen could feel his pain and could sense a bit of jealousy also. She went into her room and shut the door. She leaned up against the door rubbing her temples with her fingers. Sadness and pain crept onto her expression. She had always been in love with Bruce since she was 16 years old, but he never showed a sign of interest until she finally realized why he never did. She shook her head, trying to keep her emotions under control.

"I'm so sorry Bruce…if you only knew how I felt about you…" she told herself.

She threw on her night clothes, took off her glasses and placed them on the nightstand and crawled into bed, turning the lamp off.

2:30am was highlighted on the digital clock. Adeen rolled over onto her side in deep sleep.

"Adeen, you are being betrayed by your friends…"

Adeen's eyes snapped open and she bolted up into a sitting position, grabbing her glasses and putting them on. She looked around her room to see where the voice came from. She sensed no one in the room. She turned her lamp on to make sure one last time. NO one was there. The voice spoke again.

"Your friends are going to kill you, Adeen…no one is going to stop them. They will kill you…you can trust no one…you know none of them are your friends…they are just using you…and when they are done with you…they are going to dispose of you…"

"Who's there?" she asked, fear starting to build up in her throat.

"Choose your friends wisely, Adeen…and remember, I'll be watching your every move…"

Adeen sat there, beginning to become paranoid. She sat there the rest of the night, staring at the wall, wondering where the voice came from, who was messing with her head or if it was just her conscience. She sat there until her alarm went off at 6:00am. She got out of bed and got ready for the day, putting on skinny jeans, a tank top, flannel button up shirt, and sneakers.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Afternoon…

Adeen was very alert all day. Walking alone outside, she bumped into Steve and Tony. She jumped at the sudden action. The two guys looked at her as if she was crazy.

"Are you all right, Adeen?" Steve and Tony both asked.

Adeen nodded her head.

"Yes, I'm all right…sorry…excuse me…"

She continued walking, trying to get away from the two Avengers. She then ran into Bruce. Bruce staggered back a little. He then saw who it was. A weak smile appeared on his face.

"Hi, Adeen…"

"Hi, Bruce…um…are you all right? Last night you-"

"You want to take a walk with me?" he interrupted stoically.

"Um…um…sure…" she nervously answered with a bashful smile on her face.

They started walking through the courtyard. The two were silent for a while. Bruce was the first to speak up.

"Are you okay? You look exhausted."

"I didn't get much sleep last night…this whole thing has really…got me worked up…I just don't want my father showin' up or killing innocent lives or ruining my life…again…I also don't want people thinking I'm just like him too…"

"I understand…it has to be rough when a person you love or in your case once loved doesn't care about your feelings anymore…"

Adeen realized he was pointing that phrase righ tin her direction. She stopped in her tracks and tugged at his arm. He stopped but continued facing straight ahead; his head hanging low and pain stricken. Adeen could feel the pain, sorrow, and jealousy, with her empathy, clawing at him in the inside; hidden behind his calm and quiet structure. She could feel the tears build up.

"Bruce, last night, I didn't know…you were-"

"Do you even care how I feel about it? Because I don't think you do. Adeen, you…have no idea how much I-"

Bruce started shaking a little, the Hulk pounding at the back of his head, trying to escape. Adeen took his hand into hers and squeezed it.

"Bruce…calm down and I will explain to you how I feel, okay? I'll answer any questions you have. You just have to calm down, hon…all right?"

Bruce began to calm down somewhat, knowing he could not lose control here. He sat down on a bench and tiredly rubbed the bridge of his nose. Adeen sat beside him, keeping her grip on his free she had been holding. Adeen oculd tell this wasn't going to be an easy conversation to have with your best friend. She stroked his hand gently with her other hand, trying to soothe her closet friend.

"Fine…I'll be calm…I'm sorry about that…I shouldn't have gotten that upset…"

Adeen still could tell he was a little off edge but calmed down enough. She took a deep breath and carefully thought before she spoke.

"I am extremely sorry about last night. I tried to get your attention but I guess you didn't hear me. I…I could feel your pain last night and I…I had no idea…I…I'm sorry that I hurt you that severely…"

"I guess I shouldn't have reacted that way…knowing you piece together every emotion and figure them out. I bet you read me like a book…"

"Well I know you are extremely careful, you worry a lot about controlling yourself and worried about the people around you. You are scared to be around people. You are jealous of Clint at times. You brush it off most of the time. When Clint upsets me, you want to punch him in the face. I wouldn't blame you most of the time and…I know you…you love me…you never showed any interest in me with your emotions or actions before Clint and I were together…why did you never tell me?"

Bruce was silent for a long time. He let go of Adeen's hand and clasped his hands together, leaning his elbows on his legs. He places his hands under his chin and stared straight ahead for the longest time. He then took a deep breath, running his hand through his dark curly brown hair. He looked up at Adeen with his dazzling brown eyes. Adeen stared deep into his eyes, waiting patiently for him to speak. He moved his gaze so not to look her in the eyes and stared at the ground.

"I didn't want to get close to you…anyone who has ever become close to me, gets hurt…I would never be able to live with myself if I ever hurt you..." he turned his head to look at Adeen with a weak grin on his lips. "I have tried…so many times…to kill myself because I have hurt people…innocent people…I don't want you to end up like them. I want to protect you from myself. I'm dangerous and no good for you…you are better off with Clint than with a monster…"

"Bruce…you aren't a monster…" He looked back down towards the ground. She gently grabbed underneath his chin and moved his head back to face her. She cupped the side of his face with the exact same hand. "You are not a monster…you are nothing like my father. That is a monster. You are the sweetest and smartest man I have ever known. And probably that's the reason why I love you so much…you are understanding, loyal, not reckless, and you are very down to earth…"

"So, you love me, yet you love Clint?"

"It's complicated…will it make you feel better to tell you how much longer I have had a crush on you?"

"Probably not that long…" Bruce truthfully answered.

"No, actually…I've kind of had a thing for you since I was sixteen."

"Wait, what? Why? I was such a freak back then."

"No, no, no. All my friends at my private school thought you were one of the sweetest and hottest guys on the planet."

"Great, I attracted little innocent school girls with my geeky charms." Bruce sarcastically replied with one of his signature smiles only she or Tony has seen. That was the real Bruce she knew.

Adeen laughed at his comment then slowly her smile began to fade and she sighed looking down at her feet. Bruce noticed and nudged her in the arm with his elbow. She looked up at him sheepishly with another emotion in her gaze that Bruce had never seen in her before.

"What is it, Ad?"

"I just…I don't know who to trust anyone anymore…"

"Why do you say that?" Bruce asked, shocked by her reply.

"Don't tell anyone…Clint doesn't even know because knowing him, he'll say something to Nick."

"What's bothering you?" he asked, understanding what she was saying.

"Well, last night…I woke up hearing a man's voice. No one was even in the room. It was telling me that my friends were going to kill me…to trust no one…that you guys were only using me and…and that when you all are finished with me…you'll get rid of me…then they said they would be watching me…I'm scared, Bruce…I'm never scared…you probably think I'm crazy…"

"No, you aren't crazy. This all happened last night?"

"Yes."

"What time?" he asked, as if he knew something.

"Around 2:30…why?"

"Last night, an agent spotted Destructor outside the perimeter in a Black Sedan around that time."

"And I'm being told this just now?"

The anger started to build up inside Adeen. She rolled her hands into fists. Bruce put a gentle hand on top of her fists. She looked up at Bruce. He gently wiped something off her face.

"You're crying…"

Adeen realized she was crying and tried to wipe them away, embarrassed by her episode. She also noticed her hands were shaking badly.

"I just found out less than 20 minutes ago. Just before I ran into you."

Adeen didn't say anything. She was trying hard not to breakdown. She didn't want to cry in front of anyone. She didn't want people to think she couldn't handle herself. Bruce took her hand into his. She looked up at him again.

"You know you don't have to be tough all the time." Bruce quietly whispered to her.

Adeen couldn't hold back her emotions any longer. The tears started flowing down her cheeks in little narrow rivers. She put her head on Bruce's shoulder. Her shoulders heaved up and down as she tried to take staggered breaths to calm herself. Bruce wrapped his arm around her and let her cry.

"No one is going to hurt you, Adeen…I won't let him…" he whispered softly into her ear.

Adeen lifted her head up and looked into his eyes. Bruce did the same. Adeen shifted her eyes to his lips back to his eyes. Bruce slowly leaned towards her, a little hesitant. He then kissed her gently on the lips. Adeen kissed him back for a few moments then she quickly pulled away realizing what she had done.

"Oh my God…I…I have to go!" she told him, completely baffled.

She got up from the bench and started running. Bruce quickly stood up but didn't go after her.

"Adeen, wait!" he called after her.

She was gone. Bruce angrily kicked the bench, snapping it into a million wooden shards. He rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly again, trying to calm the Other Guy down, and slowly began walking towards the entrance as it began to rain. What Bruce and Adeen didn't know was that someone was watching them, taking pictures of their every move.

Destructor sat in his black Sedan with camera in hand. He placed it in his lap and smirked evilly. He started the engine and drove down the street, the rain hitting his windshield. Now he knew how to finally kill his daughter and how to destroy the Avengers' souls forever.

"I will soon show them how dangerous I can be…" he told himself, his eyes forming a narrow slit and hands clenching the steering wheel.


End file.
